Tunnel construction



Jan. 9, 1923.

1. 0. MEEM. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

FILED APR. 13. 1922.

' ,AJA TTORNE Ys Jan. 9, 1923.

J. C. MEEM.

TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

FILED APR. 13. 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIVV EN TOR Patented J an. 9, 1923.

w UNITED STATES JAMES C. MEEM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK L. GRANFORD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TUNNEL consrnuc'rron.

Application filed April 13, 1922. Serial No. 552,075.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES C. MEEM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklymin the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tunnel Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of building and laying a subaqueous tunnel adapted for use by cars, trains, Vehicles, or as a tunnel or conduit for any purpose desired. The method and form of construction is adapted for any required size of the tunnel and any number of trackways or roadways; and maybe circular in formor elliptical, oval or of other form of cross section to suit the particular requirements.

The main object of my invention is to provide a method and form of construction, especially adapted for comparatively long distances, and which may be carried out with economy,rapidity of construction and safety, while at thesame time attaining great strength and durability of construction. Another object is to provide a method and form of construction which will permit the tunnel to lie near. the surface of the bed of the river or other body of water, thus shortening the lengthof and reducing the grades required with the usual forms of construction. Another object is to provide a method and form of construction which may be proceeded with continuously andwhich is adapted forpractically any length of tunnel and for any size or type of cross section. These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side view showing the tunnel in the process of construction and laying in place. Fig. 2 is an end view of the construction barge showing a section of the tunnel in place on its cradle. I Fig. 3 is a side view of the construction barge and showing the side View of the tunnel at the end under construction. Fig. L is a cross section of the tunnel as formed on the construction barge showing one form of construction. Fig. 5 is a sec .tional View taken longitudinally of the tunnel as formed on the construction barge; F ig. 6 is a cross section of the tunnel as built on the constructionbarge and showing a modified form of construction; Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal, section of the tunnel as constructed on the barge; Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of the plates used in the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 Fig. 9'is an end view thereof, and Fig. 10 is a section show ing the tunnel in final aosition on the bed of v the river, harbor or 0t er body of water.

According to this method, the tunnel is built on a floating barge in the form of a shell which may be of wood or steel and there is addedv thereto interior strengthening means such as precast concrete ribs spaced sufliciently from each other to allow the necessary flexibility in laying the tunnel.

be from 500 to 7 OOfee-t in length for a tunnel adapted to have traclrways. This first section is towed into position and one end is allowed to sink into its place on a dredged bottom, the temporary barges being scuttled and the tunnel being allowed to be filled with water to more readily accomplish this. With the fixed end in place on the bottom, the tun nel rises in a gradual curve to its place on the permanent construction barge. The radius of curvature of the tunnel in its rise to the barge will be such as not to exceed the permissible flexibility of the tunnel as constructed'and may be insome cases of 2,000

feet radius. The construction barge carries a rocking cradle which may be of lattice-girder construction and the end of the tunnel under construction is built on and carried by this cradle, which will adapt itself to the proper angle of the tunnel at the tangential end of the curve formed by the tunnel.

Fig. 1 shows the method and arrangement generally, the mean water levelbeing indicated at 1, the normal bottom at 2 and the dredged area for receiving the tunnel being indicated at 3. One shore or starting end oi the tunnel'is indicated at 4. The tunnel 5 is shown with one end 5 in position on the bed near the shore, at which point the tunnel may be continued to the left of the figure by other methods of construction.

The tunnel is shownrisingitothe right of the figure on a very gradual curveto the construction barge 6. 1 At suitable intervals," which may" be" from 2100 to .300 feet, are, formed during its construction 'onthe bargeg full section bulk-heads 7 and between them at suitable intervals are a number oflow'er f 1 half or'bafilebulkheads 8. AS the tunnel is 10 completed and payed out, water'is allowed to enter through suitable valves sufficient to let it move graduallyto its lowest position "and thebaflle bulkheads are provided so as toobtaina proper distribution of the water along the upper end of the tunnel as ind cated in 1, so that the water will not 1 all ffiow to the lower end of the tunnel. The water'levelinthe sections as retained by the bulkheads isjindicatedby the dotted lines 9 inlFig. l, and the water permitted to'enter is regulated by the valves to suit the requirements and secure the "necessary steadiness and submersion ofthe tunnel.

A's portions. of the tunnelarrive'in V final position,-' the inlet valves are-fclosedfand the full section bulkheads will permitthe Water tojbe pumped out-"of each section in'suc'esion, and the interior of the tunnel en w y finished] v so,

The construction barge 6 is iU-shaped at "one end' as shown in'F1g. -2, and forms'an inclined trough. in which is located the cradle 10', j preferably of lattice-girder, con- 'struction and which is pivotally supported portion 12 Qc nfOrniing' generally to the shape of the lower portion of-th'etunnel on the barge at 11.- The cradle has abase and -is jadapted to support theend of the tunnel? under, process of construction, The

cra'dle normally: assumesan inclined position in, the troughof-jthe'construction barge an'dfby reason of its pivotal support will as- .sume an' angularposition, adapted to that of theend of the tunnel which isunder con ,struction and will adjustablytake care of. changes in water level due to t des or other I causes, andalso d fferences 1n depth of the tunnelbelow'ftheinean water level as de termined by the depth of the .dredgedarea in which thetunnel is placed. Fig. 3 shows the upperend of thetunnel in place on the cradle andas most of the weightof the tunnel will, be carried by one end portion oi the construction barge, a suitable counterbalance will be provided at thefopposite' end of the barge such as a water ballast tank indicated at 13. For convenience in constructionfthe bargeqis provided with a derrick or with a traveling crane structure ltfsho'wn as having; an overhang. at the sides for moving construction material from the sides to the cradle, as the construction continue.

During construction the shell o fthe lower I portion'o f the tunnel is first assembled-and in the form shown in Figs. and 5 the shellis made of wooden staves 15 h heavy planking which are relatively staggered or toothed as indicated in Fig. 3.- After the lower 'portion'of the staves areassem'bledinprolongation'of the tunnel as indicated at 16 in Fig. 3, a suitable water proofing such as pitch and burlap is then laid over the staves. A series of reinforcing rings 17 of the diameter of thetunnel are then set in place on the lower portion of the tunnel "shell. These rings" are ofreinforcedconcrete pre-cast and seasoned and are brought alongside the constructlonbarge andvset "1n" placeas above described by a derrick or the Lcrane 14. The concretel rings will be the top and 'bottointo allow for, vertical flexibility. When a sufiicient' number of rings are in place to'inake up a required length of the tunnel, the top half portion of the waterproofing is applied and'the wooden staves'-'are added over the outside of the rings and water-proofing to complete the construction of the shell. ."Hoops or wire cables 18 are then applied-and tightened around the tunnel constructed as above and stapled to thest aves-to permanently bind! the tunnel togetherg the staves being spiked foradditional strength. The barge is then allowed to move ahead for the construction ofan' additional length of the tunnel,f while an equivalent "length sinksbehind to its pernian'entbed, and the intermediate portion retains the gradual curvature up to the construction barge. Instead ofusinga typeof construction, theshell nay be made of steelvplatcs 1 9, and in the formshown in Figs. 7,. 8 and 9;thesteel plates'are of comparatively long length in the form of Wooden stave 'or barrel channel bars arched to conform tothe diam-' eter of the tunnel and have ribs orflanges 19 at their edges shown in Fig. 9. These and are assembled, in staggered relation as shown 1n Fig. 8 and the'flanges riveted,

steel plates extend lengthwise of'the tunnel bolted or welded" together; The abutting ends of the plates may be welded in place on V. the I construction barge as assembled. With this construction the general method offassembly isthe same as above describedtjthe lower portion of the steelshell being first assembledon the v barge and waterproofing addedon that portion if necessary. The r1ngs 1 7 "are then successively lowered into place in the lower portion of the shell as already described and the upper portion of permanently lock the cementrings together.

While the tunnel built as above described is suiiiciently flexible in long lengths, yet in short lengths the tunnel has greater longitudinal strength and-stabilit than any other form of construction hereto 'oreproposed or built. It also enables the tunnel to adapt itself more safely and economically to the dredged bottom by bridging the hollows and pressing down the peaks. construction is also well adapted to join special sections of tunnel under water where necessary under certain conditions; such as having to build a tunnel under a very wide bay, where it could be constructed in several sections simultaneously, the abutting ends being subsequently joined under water. In the case of an unusually long tunnel it may be advantageous to work from the middle towards eachshore simultaneously; that is, building and submerging the middleor central portion first and constructing the shoreward ends each on its own construction barge or float. The upper surface of the tunnel and the sides may be covered orfilled in around the tunnel with concrete or other material as shown in Fig. 10 for more permanently bedding the tunnel in place.

Although I have described a preferred method and form of construction, the same may be varied without departing from the scope of this invention, as may be desired to suit the requirements for different sizes and shape of tunnels and various other considerations.

I claim a l. The method of constructing a subaqueous tunnel which consists in constructing the tunnel on a floating support by forming a tunnel shell and locating a succession of rings within the shell and paying out the tunnel trom the floating support as theconstruction progresses.

2. The method of constructing a subaqueous tunnel which consists in constructing the tunnel on a floating support by forming a tunnel shell and locating a succession of concrete rings within the shell and paying out the tunnel from the floating supportas the construction progresses.

This method of 3. The method of constructing a subaqueous tunnel which consists inconstructing the tunnel on a floating support by forming a tunnel shell and locating a succession of rings within the shell spaced from each other and paying out the tunnel from the floating support as the construction pro- 'gresses.

a. The method of constructing a subaqueous tunnel which consists in constructing the tunnel on a floating support by forming a tunnel shell and locating a succession of concrete rings within the shell spaced from each other and paying out the tunnel from the floating support as the construction progresses. a

5. The method of constructing a 'subaqueous tunnel which consists in constructing a lower shell portion of the tunnel on a floating support, placing thereon a series of tunnel from the floating support as the construction progresses. I

6. The method of constructing a subaqueous tunnel which consists in constructing a lower shell portion of the tunnel on a floating support, placing thereon a series of rings spaced apart from each other. com pleting the upper portion of the shell over the ringaand paying out the tunnel from the floating support as the construction.

progresses. i

7. The method of'constructing a subaqueous tunnel which consists in constructing a lower shell portion of the tunnel on a floating support, placing thereon a series of rings spaced apart from each other, completing the upper portion of the shell over the rings, and paying out the tunnel from the floating support as the construction progresses and filling in the spaces between the rings after the tunnel has taken its permanent position.

8. The method of constructing a subaqueous tunnel which consists in constructing the tunnel on a floating support, paying out the tunnel from the floating support as the construction progresses, permitting water to enter the tunnel near its upper end, and providing baiile bulkheads for causing the water inthe partially filled tunnel to be distributed along its length.

9. The method of constructing a subaqueous tunnel whichconsists in constructthe tunnel on a floating support, paying out the tunnel from the floating support as progresses, permitting .ing a,v subaqueou s tunnel which consists in building a length of the tunnel on floating supports and extending one endtoa con structionifloat, then sinking the tunnel oarlled by S3161 supportsvwhlle retaining one end on said float, continuingthe construction of the ,tunnelon said float, andpaying. the tunnel out from saldfioatas the con-c ried by; said -support$ While retaining both 4 struotion progresses. J

12; The method of constiucting andnlay-i 1 20 building a length of the tunnel on fioating' ing' a subaqueous tunnel" which consists 1n ends on said construction floats; and peying the tunnelout from said floats as the oon-. i

supports a-n'd extending both ends tofloone strnotion floats, continuing the construction of the tunnel on said floats, paying the tun-- nel outfrom said floats as the construction ,1'o11ogresses, and finally sinking said completed section and joining toooinpleted'seotions already in place.

- "JAMESCIME'EM, 

